Adjustable shelf.



H. M. DUNGAN. ADJUSTABLE SHELF. APPLICATION FILED Nov. e, 1912.

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UNITED sTATEs HARRY M. DUN GAlN'-, OF JEFFRSON CITY, MISSOURI.

ADJUSTABLE SHELF.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. nee. 2,v 1913.

Application filed November 6, 1912. Serial No. 729,778.

the city of Jefferson City and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Adjustable Shelf, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shelves and more particularly to shelves of adjustable type and consists in the novel design and arrangement' of parts hereinafter more fully disclosed.

An object of the invention is to provide shelves of durable and inexpensive construction which are readily and conveniently adjustable so as to space the shelf members at any definite predetermined intervals to receive or accommodate books or like articles placed thereon.

Another object is to provide suitable sustaining members upon which the shelves maybe removably mounted, said means for mounting the shelves being so arranged that when the shelves have been adjusted and the books or other like objects placed thereon, the shelves will belocked in position and thus prevented from diaplacement until the objects carried thereby shall have been removed.

With these and other obvious objects in view', I have designed, combined and arranged the several parts or elements in the manner hereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in `which like characters of'reference indicate like parts throughout the several views, in whichf- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a section of the shelving embodying thepresent invention, clearly illustrating the several parts in assembled relation. Fig. 2 is a plan View showing one of the partition elements in horizontal section, designed particularly to .illustrate the manner in which the partition elements and the `shelves with their supporting members are assembled.A Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a portion of one partition element showing one of the shelves in crosssection mounted in assembled adjustment. Fig. 4 is a Vvertical section taken through one of the partition elements adjacent to the rear. end thereof, showing also a fragment of one of the shelves in longitudinal section held in place by a sustaining element or bolt, and Fig. 5 isa detail view of a referred form of sustaining bolt upon wh1ch the shelves rest.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings, A indicates the par- .titions or uprights which comprise preferably a double partition wall 1 which is preferably of flexible metal bent as clearly illusltrated in Fig. l. to form a double wall which is U shaped in cross-sectionand which has outwardly extending flanges 2 at its rear or inner edge. Verticalposts or plates 3 o1 somewhat heavier and more substantial construction land to which the partition elements are bolted by bolts 4, serve to give the stackrigidity and strength. The 'plates 3 are preferably provided with projections or rectangular beads 5 which extend for a tween the walls 2 thus providing additional strength and stillness to the construction of the stack, as will be readily understood. The partition walls A are supported apart by plates 6 bolted preferably to the inner face .of the flanges 2, the bolts passing through the plates, said plates 6 constituting, as will be understood, stidening and strength- \ening members for holding the partitions A in vertical position parallel one with the n other. Througheach of ythe walls, of each of the partition elements A, are cut two series of vertical slots 7 arranged adjacent to ,the outer and inner edges ofsaid partitions, respectively, in the manner clearly illustrated in Fig. 1. The slots of each series are staggered, with respect to each other, and are arranged so that the slots'in each vertical line will overlap those -in the other, in order that the sustaining members or bolts v may be seated at any desired vertical position in the partition elements.' The purpose of staggering the slots in this mannerv is to prevent a weakening of 'the partition walls which would result from a continuous vertical. slit through the metal. Formed thus in 'staggered relationship the strength of the,

tically the same as if the sheet forming the wall contained no slots at all and yet the sustaining bolts, as has been explained, may

slight distance into the hollow portion be-4 walls of the partition element remains prac-` be positioned at any desired vert-icall adjustment. It will be, of course, understood that the partition element, such for instance as the partition element shown to the left of Fig. 1 which forms the outer side ofthe stack, contains no slots in 'its outer face, the intermediate partitions, however, have both walls slotted so as to provide seats for sustaining bolts for supporting shelves o n both sides of the partition, as will be readily understood.

Each of the shelves 8 is constructed preferably of a sheet of flexible metal which is rounded to form a bead 9 at its inner and outer edge so as to prevent defacement of books or other ,like objects as they are moved into place upon the shelves. At each end of the shelves 8 is provided a depending web or flange 10, formed preferably as shown invF ig. 3 with a triangular depression or cut-out portion so that when books are tilted forward, in removing them from the subadjacent shelf, the upper edges will pass into the cut-out portion thus permitting the shelves to be adjusted closer together, as the upper inner corner of the book, as it is withdrawn from the shelf,

may extend upwardly to the under facel of the shelf above without being interfered with by the flange or web 10. Each of the flanges formed at the ends of the shelf member 8 is provided, adjacent to its outer end, with vertical slots 11 which are spaced to register with the forward staggered slots 7 `in the partition elements A. Each of said flanges or webs 10 is also provided with a second series of slots 12 which eX- tend obliquely inwardly so that when the sustaining element or bolt 13 is seated in one of the slots l1 and the shelf element 8 tilted backwardly to bring it to adjustment, the rear sustaining element will be conveniently and readily seated in the corresponding slot 12. It will be observed that as the shelf is brought to horizontal position and the rear bolts seated in the slots 12, as described, it will be impossible to raise the shelf element vertically upwardly, as the rear sustaining bolt would bear against the side of its corresponding slot 12 `thereby preventing accidental displacement of the shelf by shelves 8.

The sustaining bolts 13 are constructed vertical pressure on the 'substantially as shown in Fig. 5, with a flat manipulated; and may be also provided with a hexagonal head 17 to permit adjustment with a wrench if desired.

Having thus fully described my invention,y so as to enablethose skilled in the art to which this invention appertains to make and use the same, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent isz.

l. Shelf construction comprising, in combination, partition elements provided with two series of staggered slots arranged adjacent to the front and rear edges of the partitiony elements and the slots in each series overlapping at their ends, shelf sustaining bolts arranged to be seated in said slots, shelves A provided with depending flanges at each end thereof, said flanges being provided at their front ends with two vertical parallel slots and at their rear ends with two parallel inclined slots, said slots adapted to engage over the sustaining bolts carried by the slots in said partition walls, and means for binding said bolts and shelves in any desired vertical position, substantially as specified.

2. Shelf construction comprising partition elements formed from a sheet of flat metal bent to form a double wall substantially U-shaped in cross-section and being provided with outwardly extending flanges at their inner ends and reinforcing plates bolted to said flanges; said walls having formed therein a series of vertical slots adjacent to the front and rear edges thereof, respectively, and the slots of each series overlapping at their adjacent ends, lateral reinforcing elements bolted to said flanges and adapted to sustain said partition elements yin vertical parallel adjustment, sustaining bolts adapted to be inserted and locked in said slots, shelf elements comprising a sheet-of flat metal rounded at the edges and being provided with depending flanges at their extremities, said flanges being provided with parallel slots arranged adjacent to the front and rear edges thereof, the slots adjacent to the front edge being arranged parallel and vertical with respect to the said flat sheet, and the slots adjacent to the rear edge being inclined backwardly and downwardly, with respect to said sheet, and a binding sleeve, manually operable, adapted to cooperate with said bolts for binding said shelf element and said partition elements together, substantially as specified.

y3. Shelf construction comprising, end walls of double plates, and lhaving vertical staggered and overlapping slots in both plates adjacent the front and rear edges thereof, shelf elements provided with flanges supported at right angles and having vertical parallel slots in said flanges adjacent one edge of said shelf elements, and parallel inclined slots in said flanges adjacent the other edge of said shelf elements, shelf In witness whereof, I have signed this supporting bolts seated in the slots in said specification in the presence of two subend walls and extending inwardly permitscribing witnesses.

ting the slots in the shelf elements to be HARRY M. DUNGAN. engaged thereover, and means for binding Witnesses: bolts and shelfv elements in any desired vefr- NELSON. THOMAS,

tical adjustment, substantially as specified. L. C. KINGSLAND. 

